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ASML appoints veteran Marco Pieters as new chief technology officer

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ASML, the world’s leading manufacturer of semiconductor lithography machines, has named Marco Pieters as its new chief technology officer (CTO), the company announced Thursday. Pieters, a 25-year ASML veteran, will also join the firm’s management board, pending approval at the April 2026 annual meeting.

Trained as a mathematician, Pieters has led several of ASML’s major product lines, including its Holistic Lithography program, which integrates hardware and software to improve chipmaking precision. CEO Christophe Fouquet praised Pieters’ long-standing contributions, saying he has “full support in driving forward our technology roadmap.”

Pieters succeeds Martin van der Brink, who retired in 2024 after a four-decade career that saw ASML rise from a small Dutch equipment supplier to a global leader in chip manufacturing technology. Van der Brink’s strategic bets on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography helped ASML overtake rivals Nikon and Canon to dominate the sector.

ASML’s advanced lithography machines — some priced at $400 million — are essential to producing cutting-edge chips used in AI processors, smartphones, and data centers. Pieters’ appointment reinforces ASML’s focus on innovation amid rising global demand for semiconductor technology.

The company also plans to reappoint CFO Roger Dassen at the same meeting.

Applied Materials Warns of $600 Million Revenue Hit in 2026 After Expanded U.S. Chip Export Curbs

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Applied Materials, one of the world’s largest semiconductor equipment makers, said it expects a $600 million revenue impact in fiscal 2026 after the U.S. government broadened export restrictions on technology shipments to China and its affiliates.

The company’s shares fell about 3% in after-hours trading on Thursday following a regulatory filing that detailed the potential hit. Applied Materials said the new rules will make it harder to export certain products and provide parts or services to specific China-based subsidiaries without a U.S. export license.

New U.S. Restrictions Target Loopholes

The U.S. Department of Commerce this week expanded its export blacklist to include majority-owned subsidiaries of already restricted companies. The move targets entities that have been using offshore affiliates to circumvent U.S. export controls on sensitive technologies, particularly in the semiconductor, aerospace, and medical equipment sectors.

The company estimated an additional $110 million impact on its fourth-quarter 2024 revenue, compounding challenges already caused by a slowdown in China and ongoing tariff pressures.

Broader Industry Pressure

Applied Materials, along with European chipmaking equipment supplier ASML Holding, has been hit by weak demand in China, where export curbs have limited access to advanced lithography and chip-manufacturing tools.

Analysts said the new rule could disrupt global semiconductor supply chains and increase the number of firms that will now need licenses to receive U.S.-origin components and services.

Washington’s Push for Domestic Chip Production

In a related policy move, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Washington was urging Taiwan to adopt a 50-50 manufacturing split with the United States, part of efforts to boost domestic chip production and reduce dependence on overseas supply chains.

Applied Materials’ Financial Outlook

Despite the looming headwinds, Applied Materials reported strong results for fiscal 2024, with revenue up 2.5% year-over-year to $27.18 billion. Third-quarter revenue rose 8% to $7.30 billion, surpassing market expectations of $7.22 billion, according to LSEG data.

However, the company’s August outlook had already signaled a cautious tone, citing “geopolitical uncertainty and weaker equipment spending” as persistent risks heading into 2025.

As the U.S.–China technology rivalry intensifies, Applied Materials’ latest warning highlights the growing cost of Washington’s export-control campaign, which is reshaping the global semiconductor landscape and testing the resilience of supply chains worldwide.

Intel–Nvidia deal could strengthen Intel’s next-gen chipmaking plans

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Intel’s long-struggling manufacturing arm may gain fresh momentum from a new $5 billion partnership with Nvidia, analysts say. The deal, announced Thursday, gives Nvidia a roughly 4% stake in Intel and establishes a framework for the two companies to co-develop multiple generations of joint products.

These products will link Intel’s central processors with Nvidia’s AI and graphics chips using NVLink, Nvidia’s proprietary high-speed interconnect. By being directly tied to Nvidia’s flagship chips, Intel’s CPUs could gain an advantage over rivals such as AMD, which currently lacks such integration.

Crucially, the collaboration could also bolster Intel’s 14A manufacturing process, planned for 2027 but still financially uncertain. Intel has said it needs significant customer commitments to justify the cost of building 14A. Analysts believe Nvidia’s involvement, even indirectly, could help secure the production volumes necessary to make the investment viable.

“Any relationship with Nvidia … should be seen as a possible extension of the partnership in the future,” said Jack Gold of J.Gold Associates, suggesting that deeper collaboration on Intel’s foundry services could follow. Intel will supply CPUs for the joint products and package Nvidia chips in some cases, while engineers from both firms will collaborate to translate Nvidia’s designs into physical chips made in Intel factories.

The move is strategically important because, like Nvidia, Intel often relies on Taiwan’s TSMC for advanced manufacturing. If the joint products prove successful, the deal could ensure Intel’s fabs are busy enough to deliver returns on its multibillion-dollar investments. “It gives me a higher degree of confidence that 14A continues,” said Ben Bajarin of Creative Strategies.

For Nvidia, the tie-up opens doors to Intel’s vast enterprise and government customer base, which depends on decades of software optimized for Intel’s chips. Analysts note that AMD could be the biggest loser from the partnership, as two of its fiercest competitors are now aligning their technologies.